Chapter 378: Chapter 378: The Zhang-Huang Meeting (Part 1)
'I'll go back after finishing a few meetings here. I guess I'll be back at the earliest on the 26th or 27th day of the lunar calendar. If you can't wait, you can go back to your hometown first,' this time, it was Feng Yiping who was leaning against the car window, giving Huang Jingping his instructions.
This time, she was going home in Hong Haoran's Century, while Hong himself was driving a new van.
'I know. Remember to call me. Okay, I've arranged to meet Zhang Yan at noon. If we don't go now, we'll be late.'
'Be careful on the road,' Feng Yiping hesitated to say.
'Don't worry, I'm just meeting her, don't think too much about it,' Huang Jingping held out a hand and gave him a gentle touch on the cheek.
It would be false to say that Feng Yiping wasn't worried as he watched the car pull away, but there was nothing he could do about it. The two-day supplier meeting had come to a successful conclusion, and Huang Jingping said she wanted to go back, and she should go back early. She hadn't seen her family for most of the year, and Feng Yiping would not be able to go home until after the staff meeting on the 25th day of the lunar calendar.
Of course, before returning to the town, she had another appointment, to meet Zhang Yan. But Feng Yiping felt that her main reason for deciding to go back at this time was to see Zhang Yan sooner.
'Mom, I'm leaving, I probably won't be back for lunch,' Zhang Yan, dressed to the nines, said to her mother, who was busy in the kitchen. By dressed to the nines, she really meant dressed in her usual attire, except that she was wearing a bracelet that Feng Yiping had sent her last year on her hand, and a silk scarf that he had also given her around her neck.
'What time did you watch TV last night? Look at the dark circles under your eyes,' her mother asked, standing in the kitchen doorway with a ladle in her hand.
'It was just once, and it won't happen again,' Zhang Yan said, following her mother's lead. These dark circles under her eyes didn't come from sleeping in.
'Aren't you going to ride your bike?'
"It's too cold, I'll take the bus,'
'Okay, then, hurry up and go. If Zhang Hong, that little pest, finds out, he'll nag you to go with him again,'
During the winter and summer vacations, CCTV would unwaveringly broadcast Journey to the West, and Zhang Hong was currently curled up in his room watching it.
Zhang Yan listened without saying a word, gave her mother a sign, and quickly walked towards the door. Today she told her mother that she was going to meet her classmates, and her brother could not follow.
It was actually quite convenient to take the bus. Along the highway, there was a bus from their village to the county town every ten minutes or so. It stopped when you waved. It was this time of year, when many people returned from working away, and many people from the village went to the county town to buy New Year's goods, so it was a bit crowded.
Sure enough, the minibus was packed. The ticket collector, who was carrying a satchel slung diagonally over her shoulders, opened the door and shouted to the people inside, 'Step inside and push your feet a bit.'
The villagers, who were standing holding onto the rings or seats, were a bit impatient and said a few words, "There's still more to get on, it's so crowded that there's nowhere to put your feet.'
Even though they said that, they still gave up a place at the door. Zhang Yan took out the 1.5 yuan she had prepared and handed it to the ticket collector, "Stop at the department store.'
The car was very crowded, but that was fine. Her father had said that when she graduated and started working next year, the family would move to the provincial capital and buy a van.
The county town was bustling in the twelfth lunar month. Groups of students who had finished their exams and didn't want to stay at home were hanging out in the streets, looking at the well-dressed young people who had returned from working away. It was a way for them to learn about the outside world.
Lu Pengcheng was among them, following a few classmates, leaning against the lamp post in front of a gift shop. They were mainly observing the girls walking up and down the street.
'Hey, what about that one?'
The classmate next to him nudged him on the shoulder, indicating that he should look at a girl who was walking over. Although she had short hair like the boys, she had a good figure and looked quite pleasing to the eye. 'Not bad, at least an 80 or above.'
However, they can't let loose on the street as they can at school. At school, they can whistle at girls, but not on the street.
I heard that the other day, a high school idiot, without knowing the consequences, whistled at a pretty girl passing by, and as a result, was beaten up by two big men, one of whom was the girl's brother and the other her boyfriend.
Lu Pengcheng saw in the corner of his eye that the blue minibus from Zhang Yan's hometown was parked at the intersection of the department store. He glanced over and saw, 'Oh, I didn't expect it, but the first one to get off was Zhang Yan, which is a real pleasant surprise.'
He couldn't care about the friends by his side, and he laughed as he jogged over, 'Zhang Yan!'
'Lu Pengcheng, come out and play,' Zhang Yan was about to enter the pastry shop next to the department store. This was the more fashionable part of the county, mainly selling all kinds of Western pastries, and there were a dozen small tables. Those classmates who were in love liked to come here the most, order a small piece of cake, a glass of milk or juice, hold hands under the table, and whisper to each other while listening to music.
'Yes, what's up?'
'Yes, I've got a date with a friend,' Zhang Yan replied absentmindedly, pushing open the door and finding a seat by the window.
Zhang Yan actually didn't have a deep impression of this alumnus, the son of her art teacher, who had perseveringly written her five love letters. A person's heart can be very big, big enough to let go of the whole world, or it can be very small, small enough to hold only one person.
Got a date with a friend? Lu Pengcheng was concerned when he heard this, what friend? No, I need to find out. He waved at the other students who had followed him, and they all walked into the shop. They ordered a variety of snacks and sat down at a table not far from Zhang Yan.
Lu Pengcheng felt that Zhang Yan seemed out of it today. She ordered a cup of hot soymilk, but it didn't look like she was going to drink it. She was just playing with it. She kept her eyes on the window and kept twirling the plastic cup with the lid sealed.
After half an hour, Lu Pengcheng and the others had finished eating the large order they had placed, but Zhang Yan was still in the same state. 'Hey, you should sit over there.' ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
His classmates all knew about his little problem. After finishing eating, they couldn't sit still and wanted to see some excitement. "Don't make a scene, just wait and see. Go get me a glass of corn juice." He took out two ten-yuan bills from his wallet. As long as there was something to eat, it was fine. Those guys went back to harassing the little girl behind the counter.
In fact, Huang Jingping's journey had not been peaceful either. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions: some anticipation, some excitement, and of course, some inexplicable sadness.
From junior high school, when she took the initiative to walk up to Feng Yiping, she had keenly sensed that there must be someone in his heart. It wasn't until later that she heard him say it with his own mouth.
When the provincial exams were held in October last year, she wanted to meet the girl in his heart, who he must not be able to let go of. She was full of indignation at the time, but after spending a night in the city and thinking about it all night, she suddenly felt that if that girl knew the truth, she would be even more indignant than she was. She suddenly lost the courage to meet that girl, and then Feng Yiping chased after her, and the idea of meeting her was put aside.
However, sooner or later, some things always have to be faced. After living a truly happy life with Feng Yiping for a few months, she felt that since this matter would not automatically dissipate, she might as well face it positively. First, she had to find out what kind of person the girl was, in case Yiping had misjudged her.
Of course, there was definitely an element of her not being convinced, but she would never admit it.
After crossing the bridge before the county town, she officially entered the county town. Huang Jingping felt a little uneasy. It felt like the mistress going to see the wife, but I'm Yiping's official girlfriend!
She stopped the car in front of the post office, took a few deep breaths, and dialed Zhang Yan's phone number. 'Zhang Yan, I've already arrived in the county town. Where exactly is the place you mentioned? The department store, right? Okay, no, you don't need to come and pick me up, I can find it.'
She didn't ask for directions either, and drove straight ahead, towards the city centre. The layout of their county seat was more or less the same, and the department store must be in the liveliest, most central place.
Sure enough, at the crossroads in the centre of the county seat, she saw the department store across the street.
Lu Pengcheng saw Zhang Yan answer a phone call and stood up and walked towards the door. Is she coming? He stared outside intently.
Zhang Yan walked to the door with her phone in her hand, and her heart was quite mixed. What kind of person would this girl be who had called herself? However, since Feng Yiping said she was his girlfriend, she must be a very good girl.
Zhang Yan looked at the girls walking around with a sharper gaze than Lu Pengcheng and his friends had just had, guessing which one it would be. However, none of them seemed to be a good match. She was confident that she was no worse than any of them.
At that moment, she heard the sound of a car door closing, and subconsciously looked up. On the opposite side of the road, a very beautiful car had just stopped, and a girl in a beige trench coat was closing the car door. She was carrying a bag and had a scarf tied around her neck. Zhang Yan knew at a glance that this must be the girl called Huang Jingping!
Huang Jingping had just been in the car and saw the girl standing in front of the Western Pastry Shop with a stubborn look in her eyes. She was the first to confirm that this must be the girl!
Lu Pengcheng only looked at Zhang Yan, and the classmate next to him nudged him, 'Hey, look at the car across the street and the girl, they're both really pretty!'
Lu Pengcheng looked and really saw that, and the pretty girl was smiling and walking towards this side, as if she was going to come here.
He looked up and saw that Zhang Yan was also walking towards them. It turned out that she was the one they had been waiting for! He let out a sigh of relief, and suddenly felt that at that moment, Zhang Yan was standing straighter than ever. Looking at her back, it seemed as if she was gathering strength to prepare for battle.
Strangely, it seemed as if these two were meeting for the first time. Who was this girl? I've never heard of Zhang Yan having any relatives like this!
The two of them exchanged a few words face to face, then walked arm in arm towards the shop. They both had smiles on their faces, looking harmonious and congenial. However, although he was slow-witted, Lu Pengcheng seemed to be able to tell that the way the two girls looked at each other was curious yet critical, and between their conversations and laughter, there was a faint sparkle of fire.
What was going on?